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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
A heart warming story about the friendship of an Orthodox Jew and a Hasidic Jew in the 1940s. Lots of interesting historical details about Zionism and Hasidism. I liked the writing, the characters and the story. Not sure why I didn't read this in HS. It was published at the end of my Sophomore year.
Definitely Chaim Potok at his best. Stunning. Not having many connections to Judaism, this book felt like a glimpse of an entirely different world. It was engaging, intelligent and thoughtful — incredibly well thought-out.
The 50th anniversary edition was delightful and had several thoughtful essays, with the essays from Potok himself being especially enlightening. This was my fourth time through the book and I enjoyed it more even than the previous three times through!
The kind of classic that is well written, powerful, and engaging, but still doesn't quite manage to invest me emotionally. I think if it had been longer, it would have been my kind of book. If the emotions hadn't been so skimmed over until their inevitable implosion, the story might have gripped me more. I cared about Danny, and wanted to care more, but I feel like I never knew him well enough to know HOW to care.
There are a lot of classics/highly praised literary fiction novels like that, and to be fair, The Chosen held my attention much more and had me WANTING more than most of them ever do. I just didn't connect with it on an emotional level.
There are a lot of classics/highly praised literary fiction novels like that, and to be fair, The Chosen held my attention much more and had me WANTING more than most of them ever do. I just didn't connect with it on an emotional level.
WOW...this book was incredible. Potok wrote in such a way that I could feel the characters' emotions in every circumstance. The main character Reuven's journey from boy to man, and the way he related to and learned from others was fantastic. His relationships with his father, his friend, and all those he came into contact with were deep, meaningful, and impactful on his life. The characters were unbelievably real, and I also learned a great deal about Jewish (Hasidic and non) culture.
I read "My Name Is Asher Lev" ten years ago and was heart-broken at the end. This book left me feeling completely differently...I was happy, not necessarily because of the circumstances of the story, but because I got to know the characters so completely. Sure, it's slow in parts, but it's an intentional slowness that gets you to take a step back and get to know what's going on.
This will be a meaningful and memorable read.
I read "My Name Is Asher Lev" ten years ago and was heart-broken at the end. This book left me feeling completely differently...I was happy, not necessarily because of the circumstances of the story, but because I got to know the characters so completely. Sure, it's slow in parts, but it's an intentional slowness that gets you to take a step back and get to know what's going on.
This will be a meaningful and memorable read.
This book is a hard one to describe.Every time I've attempted, my friends have to told me it sounds boring, when in fact this book held my attention quite well. I think the relationships make the book, and there are other added bonuses along the way- learning about Judaism and World War II from an American Jewish perspective. Each affects your main characters, which increases your interest on these subjects.
Hearing about the hopes the characters had for zionism in that perspective was a little heart wrenching in the context that violence continues today in Palestine/Israel.
The story is so well written and the human connection so believable that even though I dislike baseball, I thoroughly enjoyed the first few chapters centered around baseball.
Hearing about the hopes the characters had for zionism in that perspective was a little heart wrenching in the context that violence continues today in Palestine/Israel.
The story is so well written and the human connection so believable that even though I dislike baseball, I thoroughly enjoyed the first few chapters centered around baseball.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a reread for me. In fact I've likely read this book 10 or more times. Never get tired of it! I first discovered Potok as a teen and gobbled everything I could find, including this book. Reread it several times as a teen, and then found it as required reading in my college Christ in Scriptures theology course! I learned to love it even more then and every time I reread it I am impressed anew. I'd give it more stars if I could. If I had to choose a best American novelist of the 20th century, I can't think who I'd choose if not Potok. Beautiful story.
Yet another reread, for a book club. Happy to introduce my friends to this old friend of mine. This never disappoints.
Yet another reread, for a book club. Happy to introduce my friends to this old friend of mine. This never disappoints.